How to get back in the Gym?

One time health nut that loved working out and did 4-5 days a week for 5 years. Then recently starting in May when through work stress, health scares and then back into depression. Currently on effexor 75mg daily for 2 years. So end of May while working out starting getting big heart beats that scared me and felt light headed sometimes which triggered my anxiety to come back and I ended up having numerous er visits which all came back normal no heart or blood pressure problems. They scared me so much that I went almost 2 months with out lifting. Had a holter monitor and echo which came out normal. So being a hypochondriac that i am I starting worrying too much and starting having bad panic attacks and anxiety a lot. Which now has subsided but now I have been majorly depressed. No job, don't workout, and gave up on school. Starting seeing a psychologist which has helped little. Thought maybe I would try and start working out again but been too scared and depressed since I lost a lot of muscle.

So my main question(s) is anyone else go through a similar situation and how did you get yourself better and able to start going to gym again and workout?

Well, I'm really glad you saw doctors and were thoroughly checked out and you do NOT Have a heart condition. That's appropriate to do so you are safe. Now that you know you don't, I get having trouble getting back into the work out routine. I, at one time (another life ago, ha ha) was very INTO working out, weights, running, etc. Then I changed jobs and traveled a good deal, got married, etc. All of a sudden, going to the gym was so hard for me! Another woman that was a body builder that I was friendly with, said -- oh, don't worry. You are just out of the habit. Start slow and rebuild the habit. So that is what I did.

what she gave me the freedom to do was to not expect to be where I was before or spend as much time working out as before. I was starting over. So, I got myself TO the gym, the first step. And did a little. And built from there. A whole different life now with kids and house and husband, etc. I found my lifestyle of being a health nut/gym nut were not very realistic. I had to develop even another NEW habit to keep myself active. I don't look like I work out like crazy anymore, but I try to stay fit.

So, I definitely have been there. Start slow. Get a date that you are going set on calendar, GO and understand that it is a little like starting over. Once you start doing it though, you'll build it back quickly. Muscle memory is real. You'll have to force yourself to go slow so you don't hurt yourself! It also helps me to have a partner in crime. I ask a friend to meet me. So you could do that or set a time up with a trainer. Then you are committed and you'll do it. :) Let me know how it goes!!! I'd love to see you in the gym by the end of this weekend!!

Thank so much for the Love, caring and words. That's a great story and I'm happy and glad you got back to working out and having a good life!
Unfortunately I can't afford a trainer. But today I worked out and tried using mostly weight machines which felt weird to use and felt so weak lifting light ha :(
Cardio I did elliptical, no way I could get back into doing step of treadmill. Those where so hard to do even when I was in okay shape. This is going to be hard to do.

Well, I'm really glad you saw doctors and were thoroughly checked out and you do NOT Have a heart condition. That's appropriate to do so you are safe. Now that you know you don't, I get having trouble getting back into the work out routine. I, at one time (another life ago, ha ha) was very INTO working out, weights, running, etc. Then I changed jobs and traveled a good deal, got married, etc. All of a sudden, going to the gym was so hard for me! Another woman that was a body builder that I was friendly with, said -- oh, don't worry. You are just out of the habit. Start slow and rebuild the habit. So that is what I did.

what she gave me the freedom to do was to not expect to be where I was before or spend as much time working out as before. I was starting over. So, I got myself TO the gym, the first step. And did a little. And built from there. A whole different life now with kids and house and husband, etc. I found my lifestyle of being a health nut/gym nut were not very realistic. I had to develop even another NEW habit to keep myself active. I don't look like I work out like crazy anymore, but I try to stay fit.

So, I definitely have been there. Start slow. Get a date that you are going set on calendar, GO and understand that it is a little like starting over. Once you start doing it though, you'll build it back quickly. Muscle memory is real. You'll have to force yourself to go slow so you don't hurt yourself! It also helps me to have a partner in crime. I ask a friend to meet me. So you could do that or set a time up with a trainer. Then you are committed and you'll do it. :) Let me know how it goes!!! I'd love to see you in the gym by the end of this weekend!!

No, your way of thinking caused the anxiety to come back. Specialmom has told you what you most likely did wrong, which was to start back in working out too hard. But if you want to beat this anxiety devil, and there's nobody like someone who never has been able to do it like me, it's not not blame outside things for the way you think. Meaning, if that psychologist isn't helping, find a different one. And I'm also looking for you to find a workout you can do to start off that doesn't overstress you and lets you get back into it safely -- and I know how to do it not safely, because I've used exercise to deal with my troubles for so long I've damaged nearly everything, so learn to do it correctly -- it'll save you grief later. This might mean getting a personal trainer, and it might mean not getting a personal trainer as most of them are not actually much more knowledgeable about exercise than your Aunt Hilda is, if you get my drift. The ones who know better how to move safely are physical therapists, not personal trainers. But there are exceptions. But you know, you gotta move, and you gotta have some fun, and you gotta keep going with that school and work -- turning to full avoidance will make it a lot worse. Peace.

What do you mean my way of thinking?
Pretty sure it was stress and feeling weird sensations caused it to comeback.
Can't afford a trainer or physical therapist since I don't work. Barley afford my membership. Going to probably try in get back in touch with a bud of mine that knows about working out.
Tried working out today. Went light and used machines instead of free weights which felt weird and I felt so weak :(

Personal trainers aren't really all that good anyway. We just mean, start back in slowly, and work your way as slowly as you need to back to where you can do what you want without difficulty. As for way of thinking, the difference between people who are depressed or anxious and people who aren't isn't what's happened to them, life gets all of us at some point, it's how their brains respond to it. People aren't the same. Those of us who are prone to anxiety think anxious thoughts when confronted with an obstacle, and if it continues long enough it becomes chronic as the brain becomes used to thinking that way. The way medication and therapy work is to interrupt this way of thinking, and if you do it in therapy, it usually stays away, whereas drugs just tamp down the symptoms by altering the way your brain works naturally. So while stress is a factor, every living creature suffers stress, but most humans don't get chronic anxiety because of that. They push through. Anxious people get bogged down. That's what I meant.

No, your way of thinking caused the anxiety to come back. Specialmom has told you what you most likely did wrong, which was to start back in working out too hard. But if you want to beat this anxiety devil, and there's nobody like someone who never has been able to do it like me, it's not not blame outside things for the way you think. Meaning, if that psychologist isn't helping, find a different one. And I'm also looking for you to find a workout you can do to start off that doesn't overstress you and lets you get back into it safely -- and I know how to do it not safely, because I've used exercise to deal with my troubles for so long I've damaged nearly everything, so learn to do it correctly -- it'll save you grief later. This might mean getting a personal trainer, and it might mean not getting a personal trainer as most of them are not actually much more knowledgeable about exercise than your Aunt Hilda is, if you get my drift. The ones who know better how to move safely are physical therapists, not personal trainers. But there are exceptions. But you know, you gotta move, and you gotta have some fun, and you gotta keep going with that school and work -- turning to full avoidance will make it a lot worse. Peace.

One time health nut that loved working out and did 4-5 days a week for 5 years. Then recently starting in May when through work stress, health scares and then back into depression. Currently on effexor 75mg daily for 2 years. So end of May while working out starting getting big heart beats that scared me and felt light headed sometimes which triggered my anxiety to come back and I ended up having numerous er visits which all came back normal no heart or blood pressure problems. They scared me so much that I went almost 2 months with out lifting. Had a holter monitor and echo which came out normal. So being a hypochondriac that i am I starting worrying too much and starting having bad panic attacks and anxiety a lot. Which now has subsided but now I have been majorly depressed. No job, don't workout, and gave up on school. Starting seeing a psychologist which has helped little. Thought maybe I would try and start working out again but been too scared and depressed since I lost a lot of muscle.

So my main question(s) is anyone else go through a similar situation and how did you get yourself better and able to start going to gym again and workout?

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